Family Reacts to Fatal Stabbing of 18 year old

Family Reacts to Fatal Stabbing of 18 year old

10/14/2013 05:51 PM

"It's a shocking thing because he was loved by everyone, and had a lot of respect and got a lot of respect. So, he was just coming to protect his family and his friends, and they came back to retaliate to kill him, and he didn't deserve that. He's only 18 years old," said Dawn Thomas, Jalonte’s aunt.

HAGERSTOWN, Md.- Officers say an 18-year-old died after being stabbed early Sunday morning on West Frankin Street.

Jalonte Davonne Thomas-Leach was stabbed to death early Sunday morning, and by Sunday afternoon, police had already made an arrest in the case.

They have charged Shakeem Tradwell Miles, 20, with first and second degree murder, first and second degree assault and reckless endangerment.

It's a crime that has been the talk of the town.

"I heard he stabbed him like 18 times, 17, 18 times. I heard he was gay, and the guy kept saying 'I'm going to kill him, I'm going to kill him.',” said a local man, who goes by Radio.

Investigators have not yet said what the motive was behind this stabbing, but say they were called to the area of the crime scene several times that morning for disturbances. They say the stabbing was a part of an ongoing dispute. They haven't released many other details.

However, Jalonte's family is speaking out.

"It's a shocking thing because he was loved by everyone, and had a lot of respect and got a lot of respect. So, he was just coming to protect his family and his friends, and they came back to retaliate to kill him, and he didn't deserve that. He's only 18 years old," said Dawn Thomas, Jalonte’s aunt.

And Jalonte's cousin, Ericka Marhsall, said she was there when this all happened. She even said she held him as he died.

"We was just trying to comfort him," said Ericka Marshall.

His family said, he didn't deserve what happened to him.

"He's not a violent person, so the first thing he would say is about disrespecting the ladies, you know, he always hung around a lot of ladies, and he was a very nice person. And it's not like him to be fighting," said Dawn Thomas.

Thomas-Leach's family is calling for justice. They're asking the police to do whatever it takes to end the violence, and they're also remembering their loved one.

"’Lonte, I love you,” said Marshall.

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